Give Me a Break
by oh-the-linsanity
Summary: She noticed a pattern of splintered branches and ruined leaves. "Mako, did you…did you fall out of the tree?" And the consequences are nothing short of embarrassing.


"Okay. Walk me through this—how exactly did this happen?"

Mako grunted, his hands gripping at his leg. "Can we do this later?" he gritted through his teeth, spit flying anyway. "I'm about ready to gnaw my leg off."

Korra sighed before she crouched down beside her boyfriend. She tilted her head, her hair falling in her face as she leaned in close, inspecting his leg. "Looks like a nasty break—does this hurt—"

"_OW! YES!" _he yelped, causing others walking past in the park to watch and stare.

Korra looked around. "How'd you manage to do this anyhow?"

As if on cue, the pair of them spotted Bolin jogging up to them, something small and bundled in his arms. "Korra! Good, you're here, now I won't have to call a medic."

She nodded, staring at the thing squirming in his arms. "Right," she said slowly. She pointed. "What is that?"

He peeled his hands back and revealed a small kitten, wide-eyed and shaken up. "Look at the little fella, ain't he cute?" Bolin cooed, scratching its head. He immediately turned to his brother. "Aw, dude, can we keep it?"

Mako rolled his eyes, trying not to think of his aching leg. "Can we talk about this later?"

"We have to keep him!"

"Later, Bolin!"

Off to the side, Korra began putting the pieces together. She threw her head back and shielded her eyes from the afternoon sun as she looked at the large tree right above them. She noticed a pattern of splintered branches and ruined leaves. "Mako, did you…did you _fall out of the tree_?"

Mako moaned.

And Bolin laughed.

Korra tried to hold back her own. She got closer to him and started raking her fingers through his hair. "What were you doing up in the tree?" she asked gently. Bolin shoved the kitten in her face.

"Hi Korra!" Bolin chirped, his voice squeaky and soft, his impersonation of the kitten. "Mako was up in the tree trying to save me! But he did an awful job of everything altogether and he dropped me and fell out of the tree himself! It was a good thing Bolin was there to chase after me!"

Korra looked back to Mako, before reaching down to adjust the officer's badge on his uniform. "So you save kittens on your breaks now, do you?"

"He does a piss poor job if you ask me," Bolin murmured behind them. He continued petting the kitten in his arms. "Isn't that right, little guy?"

Mako grimaced, clutching at his leg. "Korra, you can yell at me, crack all the jokes you want, whatever it is later, but can you please just…heal me?"

She snapped her fingers, nodding. "Bolin, hold him down."

"Wait, why—"

"On three. Ready?"

Mako looked frantically around as Bolin held him to the ground by his shoulders. "Wait, what are you going to do—"

"One-"

"Korra!"

"Two—"

"Korra, are you going to set my leg in the _middle of the park_?"

"Three!"

_"OW!"_

Bolin immediately covered his brother's mouth to muffle his cries. He frowned. "Yikes. Did you just break his leg a second time or something?"

Korra shrugged before bending some water from her pouch and covering her hands, fingers glowing blue. "I had to set it," she said before she sighed. "Sorry, Mako, just one more."

Mako's eyes widened in panic. "One more wha—OW ARE YOU SERIOUS?" as she grabbed his leg and twisted.

Bolin grimaced, witnessing it all. "Next time, don't fall out of the tree, bro."

"_Bo_."

Korra put away the water and clapped her hands together. "Alright, worst part's all over." She ruffled her boyfriend's hair.

"Where's my lollipop?" he joked, but it still came out sounding like a complaint rather than a joke.

"I only give those for my patients who were on their best behavior." She went around and hooked her arms underneath his. "And you falling out of a tree and breaking your leg? That's pretty pathetic behavior."

"Girlfriends are supposed to be supportive," he chided.

"Avatars are supposed to be honest."

"Says who."

"Says me, now let's get you up." With her arms underneath his as support, she tried to help him to his feet. "Now, be careful, I may have set your leg, but that doesn't mean you can—"

He tried pulling away from her, and in one step, collapsed to the ground.

"—walk on it," she groaned before slapping her face in annoyance.

Bolin laughed. Again.

"You know what, this would be a lot easier if I carried you back," Korra admitted, helping Mako sit up.

He snorted at the thought. "There's no way I'm letting you carry me back to the apartment."

She put her hands on her hips. "What, don't think I can do it?"

"I know you can do it," Mako elaborated. "It's more my pride I was worried about."

"Dude, you fell out of a tree and broke your leg trying to save a cat. What. Pride." Bolin pointed out. "There's a reason the fire department handles saving helpless animals. You don't see Beifong out grabbing kittens and birds—stick to people."

"Okay, thanks for the pro-tip, Bolin." He growled before motioning for the two of them to help him stand once more.

"Speaking of pro-tips, I have my own to offer down at the arena. Me, and our new furry mascot have practice—I'll see you two later!"

Korra chuckled as she watched Bolin and his new pet bounce away. "Alright, let's save everyone a little trouble. Piggy-back ride or bridal style through the streets?"

"You got to be kidding me," he hissed before he gently squeezed her shoulders. She crouched down and felt him sit up and wrap his arms around her neck. "I beg you, please be civil about it."

"Oh, _sweetie, _whatever do you mean?"

"_Darling , _I'm serious."

"Don't tell me you're too old for ostrich-horse noises." She hoisted him up, catching the eye of many others in the park. He buried his head in her neck, and she felt the stubble of his chin tickle her skin.

"Korra," he whined.

"Would you prefer I breathe fire like a dragon? 'Cause I can do that." Before he could protest, she sucked in a deep breath and puffed out a small spiral of fire. "Rawr!" she deadpanned before hoisting Mako up higher on her back.

A few small kids, noticing the fire in the park, recognized the Avatar and Mako and came running, tugging on her pants leg. "Korra!"

"What up, kiddos?" she asked before she breathed fire again, this time the fire coming out in the faint shape of a square.

The kids stared, wide-eyed and in awe. "How'd you do that?"

"A lot of practice and precision." She felt Mako trying to fidget. "Being the Avatar helps as well," she added as an afterthought.

"Do another!"

"Korra…"

"Alright, one last one." She took a deep breath and this time, she spit fire, the shape of a heart. The kids awed, and Mako sighed for the umpteenth time. But Korra still noticed how he nuzzled into her neck, smiling. She adjusted her hold on him once more. "Okay, I'll be back another time, but right now I have to take the princess and lock him in a tower. You know. 'til his leg heals."

The two of them continued through the large central park and out into the city; sometimes she trotted, sometimes she ran, and sometimes she spun in dizzying and Mako realized that there was never a possibility she'd be civil about it.

"I can't believe we got that flat on the edge of town," Mako complained when he noticed the twentieth person snickering at the pair of them. "It seems inconvenient."

Korra laughed. "Only now," she teased. "Don't worry, we're almost there."

When they finally made it the nine blocks to their house, Mako squeezed her shoulder. "Okay, you can let me down now."

"You couldn't walk in a straight line, but you think you can make it up three flights of stairs?"

"You've got to be tired from carrying me."

"…"

"Right, stupid question." He grumbled.

"Don't worry, I can manage carrying your skinny ass up a couple flights of stairs." She explained before beginning her trek up the narrow staircase. "But you know," she said, the floorboards squeaking with every slow step. "I'm not sure you could do the same."

He pinched her back. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Means I'm stronger." She grunted. He started to hear her breath labor as they turned the corner to go up the next flight. "I am the Avatar."

"Okay, how many times have you played that card today?" He huffed. "And I could totally carry you across town and up these stairs; in fact I could do it _running."_

"_Running?_" she repeated, slowly. "It's running you want? Fine by me."

"Wait, Korra what are you—"

"One—"

"No, don't what are you going to do—"

"Two—"

"Not this again! Stop!"

"Three!" She gripped him tighter and with all her strength and speed, charged up the staircase. Mako, his hands digging into her shoulders, bobbed crazily up and down. "Okay, Korra, you've made your point now cut it out!"

At the top of the stairs, just in front of their door, Korra finally stopped. "So maybe," she panted, "that wasn't…the best…idea."

Ignoring his wounded pride, he nuzzled her neck. "You okay?" he asked softly.

She smiled. "'Course I am. Do you think you can grab my key? In my back pocket?"

He leaned away from her. "Left or right?"

"Left, I think."

He reached into her back pants pocket, "No key," he said before he pinched her rear end causing her to yelp. "Mako!" she cried, his name laced with laughter.

"Not in the other one either," he said, pinching her behind again as he searched the other pocket. "Look, if you just put me down, I can grab the spare—"

"Ah, screw it."

"Wait, Korra, don't—!"

She took a step back and put all her weight on one foot before she kicked one leg up with the intent of just breaking the door down. But the run up the stairs had set her legs on fire, the muscles straining and tingling, feeling like mush. Unable to keep the balance, one step back and the entirety of her and Mako's weight fell off balance.

And the two of them fell down the stairs.

When they landed at the bottom, Mako immediately went up to cradle his aching head. He also noticed his leg was in even more pain. "Korra? You alright?"

"Monkey feathers!" she cursed, trying to untangle herself from Mako; she was quick to realize that she couldn't get up. _Now her leg was broken. _Fantastic. "I can't get up! _You've_ broken my leg, Mako."

"Me!" he yelled. "_You're _the one that broke _my _leg! AGAIN!"

"Okay, shhh not so loud." Korra complained.

He looked over, inspecting the injured leg. "Does it hurt?" His fingers ghosted over them, unsure of what to do.

"No more than what you're feeling," she grunted.

"Can't you set it?" he asked.

She looked at him like he was stupid. "Set my own leg? Don't be ridiculous. I can't—ow! Man that hurts!"

Mako's brows knitted together worried. "I'm sorry," he said gently before he contorted his body and managed to lean over just enough to kiss her softly on the lips.

"You're supposed to kiss the injury, idiot."

He shrugged. "I've been known to have pretty pathetic behavior." He smirked before the realization of their situation set in. "We're stuck."

"Not long," Korra reminded him. "I invited Bo over for dinner tonight."

He remembered the time. "So that means someone will come in…."

"…a couple hours."

Mako groaned. "Great. What are we supposed to until he comes over?"

Korra smiled, tugging him by closer by his shirt. "How about some more pathetic behavior?"

He laughed into their kiss.

* * *

notes: I wrote this 5ever ago for someone on tumblr as a little holiday gift! I'd forgotten all about it, but I think I'll put it here. fluffy makorra is sickeningly adorable, huh? :3 As always, reviews are cherished and appreciated! Thank you!


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